Portable wardrobe



Filed Feb. 24, 1936 N. L. DILTS PORTABLE WARDROBE 3 Sheets-Sheet l HIS ATTORNEYS N. L. BELTS Mams PORTABLE WARDROBE Filed Feb. 24,1956 l 5 sheetssheet 2 INVENTOR HIS ATTORNEYS Dec. is, 393s.

Dec. 13, 1938. N. L. DILTs PORTABLE WARDROBE Filed Feb. 24, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet I5' I'NV ENTO R HIS ATTORNEYS *Ma/Limia Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE PORTABLE WARDROBE Noah L. Dilts, Hammond, Ind.

Application February 24, 1936, Serial No. 65,530

1 Claim.

My invention relates to the disposition of wear-y ing apparel, and has among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved roll away closet.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my invention positioned inside a closet with the closet illustrated in section for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l illustrating my invention in an upright position;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of my device;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 8 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line Fig. 8 is a sectional View taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 10 is a` sectional view along the line |0-I D of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is an illustration of the electric circuit.

In the embodiment selected toillustrate my invention, I make use of a closet I8 having its wall i2 provided with a door opening I4 arranged to be closed by a door I3. My invention includes a vehicle I8 provided with pairs of supporting wheels 28 and 22, the latter being operatively connected with a reversible motor 24. The vehicle i8 includes a box like structure comprising an engd wall 25, side walls. 28, and a top 30, upon which two upright supporting members 32 and 84 are mounted. The lower ends of the members 32 and S4 are each connected with a cross mem- Y ber 35, which in turn is xedly mounted upon the top 30.

To the upper end of the member 32 I connect one end of a wearing apparel support 38 through P the medium of a coupling element 39. The other end of the support 38 is connected with a cross member 4i) by a coupling element 4I, while both ends of the cross member lli) are fixedly connected with the door Iii. All the parts 32, 34, 36, and 4Q are of tubular construction for the purpose of securing suflicient strength in a structure of relatively light weight.

A plurality oi laterally projecting bars 42 is secured to the member 38, which bars are bent upwardly and provided with caps 44 suitable for (Cl. S12-99.5)

supporting hats. Clothes hangers may be attached to the member 38.

In Figs. 2, 4, and 5, I illustrate the door I6 as being xedly connected with the end wall 28 of the vehicle through the medium of angle irons 5 46. These angle irons are provided with openings for the reception of screws 48 imbedded in the material of the door I6 and the wall 26. Opening and closing of the door I6 is performed by the vehicle I8. f 10 The door I8 is provided with a conventional knob 58 electrically connected with the motor 24 for starting the motor when the door I8 is to be opened or closed. In Figs. 5 and 6, the motor 24 is secured to a cross piece 52 by bolts 54, and 15 the cross piece 52 may be secured to the Walls 28 by screws 58. All the members of the box part of the vehicle may be screwed together as at 58.

The wheels 20 are mounted upon an axle 60 having its ends journaled in bearings 52 screwed 20 to the side walls 28. The wheels 22are iixedly connected with an axle 64 having its ends journaled in similar bearings 66. Referring to Figs. 5 and 7, the bearings 62 and 86 are shaped to bear against the inner sides of the walls 28 and `across 25 the lower edges for the reception 0I" fastening screws 88. Upon the power shaft 1D of the motor 24, I mount a worm 'I2 arranged in mesh with a worm gear 'I4 xedly connected with the axle 64. Both the worm and the worm gear may 30 be enclosed withinv a housing I6 for protective purposes.

Wires I8 are associated with the motor 24 for connection with a source of current. These Wires pass through the coupling element 39 between 35 the cross member 38 and the member 32, and is housed within the member 32 and one of the cross members 36. In operation, the circuitthrough the motor is closed for opening the door I6 by turning the knob 50.

I provide means for breaking the circuit through the motor when the vehicle has traveled outwardly a predetermined distance. Similar ymeans is provided for breaking the circuit through the motor after the vehicle has moved the door to its closed position. When the door is in its open position, the circuit through the motor is closed by rotating the knob in the opposite direction and the circuit through the motor is broken when the vehicle has returned the door to its full closed position.

Two limit switches 82 and 84 are mounted upon the walls 28 for breaking the motor circuit in either of the two positions of the vehicle. In Fig. 1, the limit switches 82 and 84 are illustrated 55 as being positioned near the rear ends of the side walls 28. The limit switch 82 is actuated by engagement with a cam element 86 mounted upon an agle iron 88 secured to the floor 90 by means of screws 92. The limit switch 84 is arranged in the path of a cam member 94 secured to an angle iron 96 attached to the floor 90 by screws 98.

In addition to' providing a mounting for the cam elements 86 and 94, the angle irons 88 and 86 provide mountings for guide wheels |00. These wheels are arranged in close relation with the side walls 28 and guide the vehicle in its travel to and fro upon the oor |02.

I mount three wheels upon each `side Wall 28. In Fig. 5, I illustrate eachy wheel as being rotatably mounted between spaced flanges |04 cast integrally with a plate |06 bearing against its respective angle iron. The angle irons are provided with openings for the reception lof threaded shafts |88 carried by the plates |06. The wheels are securely fastened -to the angle irons by turning the nuts |I0 down.

In Fig. 9, the door I6 is provided with openings I2 for the reception of a square shaft 4 xedly connected with the knob 50. Upon the shaft II4 I mount a switch plate II6 of insulating material. This plate is provided with a square opening for receiving the shaft |I4 and is urged in the direction of a wall I|8 of insulating material and xedly connected with a housing |20 by screws |22.

Between a collar |24 fixedly connected with the shaft I I-4 and the switch plate |I6 I mount Va spring |26 for urging the switch plate in the direction of the wall ||8. An opening |28 is provided in the wall |30 of the housing for the reception of a circula-r collar |32 integrally connected with a collar |34 xedly connected with the shaft ||4 by a crew |36.

The collar |32 is rotatably positioned within the opening and the collar |34 prevents axial movement of the shaft I| 4 in one direction. A boss |38 carried by a plate |40 engages the neck oi the knob 50 to prevent axial movement of the shaft in the opposite direction. Screws |42 fasten the plate to the door I6, while screws |44 fasten the housing 20 to the door.

While the switch plate 6 may move axially of the shaft I| 4, the switch plate is restrained from relative movement about the shaft and is rotated therewith when the knob 50 is turned. Abutments |'I limit the rotary movement of the switch plate. One side of the switch plate I|6 is recessed for the reception of contact strips |46. For groups of Contact elements |48, |50, |52, and |54 are mounted on the wall ||8. These groups are positioned so as to establish electrical contact with the Contact strips |46 through the rotation of the knob 50. Rotation of the knob in one direction brings the groups |52 and I 54 into electrical connection with the strips |46, while rotation of theknob in the opposite direction establishes conducting relation between the groups |48 and |50 and the contact strips |46.

In Fig. 9, the contact elements |48, |50, |52, and |54 are in the nature of small bolts passing through the wall I |8 for the reception of nuts |56, with the heads of the bolts contacting the strips |46. Referring to Figs. and 11, wires |58 and |60 are electrically connected with the contact elements |48, while wires |62 and |64 are electrically connected with the contact elements |58. Y

In Fig. 11, the wire |60 is connected with one of the contact elements |54, while the other contact element |54 is electrically connected with a wire |66. One of the contact elements |52 is electrically connected with the wire |64 through the medium of a wire |68, while the other contact element |52 is electrically connected with a wire |10. I connect the wire |62 with the limit switch 84, while the wire |10 is connected with the limit switch 82. The wire |58 is electrically connected with the motor 24, while the wire |66 is connected with a wire |12 electrically connecting the limit switch 84 with the motor 24. The wire |60 is electrically connected with the eld of the motor by a wire |14, while the Wire |64 is electrically connected with the motor field.

In Fig. 7, vthe limit switch 82 comprises a switch arm |16 having an opening for the reception of a shaft |18 (see Fig. 5) rotatably mounted in a bearing |80 extending through its associated wall 28. The arm |16 is fixedly connected with one end of the shaft |18, while an actuating arm |82 is xedly connected with the opposite end of the shaft. The actuating arm |82 is arranged in the path of the cam element 86 (see Fig. '7).

When the vehicle is positioned wholly within the closet, the switch arm |16 is cammed to the position of Fig. 7. At this time, the contact point |84 is held out of electrical contact with a companion point |86 carried by a bracket |88 fastened tol its associated wall 28 by screws |90.

I connect the contact point |84 with a wire |92 electrically connected with the wire |58 (see Fig. 11)'. The contact point |86 is electrically connected with the wire |10. In Fig. 7, the arm |16 is connected with one end of a spring |84 having its opposite end xedly connected at |96 with the wall 28. This spring urges the contacting arm |16 in the direction of the point |86 so that the two points |84 and |86 are pressed together whenever the vehicle is moved sufliciently far to bring the actuating arm |82 out of camming relation with the cam element 88.

Fig. 8 illustrates part of the limit switch 84. The two switches are identical in construction with the exception that the actuating arm |98 projects in a different direction for climbing the cam member 94 when the vehicle I8 reaches the limit of its outward travel. The contact point 200 carried by the switch arm 282 is electrically connected with the wire |12, while the contact point 204 carried by the bracket 286 is electrically connected with the wire |62.

With the vehicle positioned according to Fig. 4, theV limit switch 82 is inoperative because of the adjustment of the switch arm |16 (see Fig. 7). At this time, the switch arm 202 of the limit switch 84 is positioned according to Fig. 8. Assuming that the vehicle I8 is positioned exteriorly of the closet and the door I6 is to be closed, the knob 50 is rotated clockwise to bring the strips |46 into electrical connection with the contact elements |52 and |54.

Referring to Figs. 10 and l1, with the switch plate II6 in the position of Fig. 10, the circuit is completed as follows: Lowerv wire 18, wires |64, and |68, Contact elements I 52 and their associated strip |46, wire |10, limit switch 82, wires |92 and |58, motor 24, Wires |12 and |66, contact elements |54 and their associated strip |48, wires I 60 and |14, and upper wire 18. With the circuit completed, the motor 24 moves the vehicle I8 to the position of Fig. 4, at which time the limit switch 82 is opened and the circuit broken.

To move the vehicle outwardly, the knob 54 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, at which time the circuit is completed as follows: Lower wire 18, wire |64, contact elements |50 and their associated strip |46, wire |62, limit switch 84, wire |12, motor 24, wire |58, contact elements |48 and their associated strip |46, Wires |60 and |14, and upper wire 18. When the circuit is closed in this maner, the vehicle I8 travels outwardly until the limit switch 84 is opened through engagement with the cam member 94.

My invention may be incorporated with closets of conventional design. When the vehicle I8 is moved exteriorly of the closet, the supporting structure for the wearing apparel is readily accessible. The vehicle is effectively guided in both directions so that the door 6 is moved completely closed. The switch mechanism associated with the knob 58 provides convenient facilities for operating the mechanism.

Upon the topL 30 I mount a pair of bars 268 which are arranged in spaced relation with the top 36 for supporting articles such as shoes. In Figs. 3 and 4, I illustrate two L-shaped members 2|0 as having their ends abutting the side walls 28 and secured thereto for supporting a drawer 2 2. One of the walls 28 may be provided with an opening 2|4 for the reception of the drawer.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under Various conditions of service.

I claim:

In a closet having an opening and a conventional door for closing the opening, a vehicle connected with the door for moving the same into closing and opening relation with said opening, an electric motor carried by said vehicle and operatively connected therewith for propelling the same, said door being provided with a rotatable knob, a switch operatively connected with the door knob and said motor, and a garment support anchored to the vehicle and the door, said garment support being positioned inside the closet with the door in its closed position.

NOAH L. DILTS. 

